"Y'know, Con, this would be so much easier if you would just relax. A hike is simply not a good experience if you can't rest and smell the roses!" Atalan gracefully slid his pack from his shoulder to his feet in one smooth motion, and squatted, spaded tail flicking lazily.
"You're one to talk! Alan, you shrieked when that snake rustled its way past us, half an hour ago. I thought you were cousins, and you nearly wet yourself. So please, don't even start with 'relaxation'." Conduit conceded to Atalan's gesture and sat down, gently massaging his calves. The two had been walking for around two hours since their previous piece of respite, and the rocky path they followed had tired them both quite fully.
Conduit did as Alan had bid, and took a moment to take in his surroundings: the path had led them from a relatively clear field to a crowded forest, filled with cedars and pines, and the smell was thick with earth and that distinct smell of pine that Conduit had loved for so many years. The air was somewhat stagnant, to Conduit's disappointment, but it was fairly cool on his bare, furred forearms. The sun shone very prettily through the trees in the wood, and the leaves were the color of paper-thin emeralds.
Alan was unpacking a lovely loaf of soft bread, as well as a slice of pungent cheese. He softly broke the silence, "I'm glad that you suggested this, Con. It's been much too long since we've been able to slug off all the burdens of our lives. Or am I waxing too poetic on you?" He smiled, sharp teeth glinting, surprisingly, free of all malice.
"No, no, this is nice. My 'lively burdens' were beginning to weigh on me, more than I would've liked. It's been at least four months since I've been able to travel, like this." Conduit graciously accepted the piece of bread and cheese that Atalan had rationed for him. They hadn't eaten since the morning, a good few hours ago, and the small meal came just in time to silence the rumbling echoing from one belly to another.
The two finished their meals, and sat quietly, taking in the scene around them. Conduit unconsciously reached for his own rucksack and produced a small instrument, a piece of lightly carved wood, inlaid with simple swirls and curves of silver. Seven strings stretched the length of the piece, and had a few frets placed along it. He plucked a few chords, and leaned his head back on the soft bark of the tree behind him. Atalan turned his head to watch him, and sighed a contented breath. Conduit began to play, his head swaying to a pleasant rhythm, and the two hummed quite tunelessly to a piece he had written, a few years ago. He loved the sound of Alan's voice; it had a sort of smoothness to it that mirrored his soft personality marvelously. One could say that it... *slithered* in the air. Word play aside, it lent itself very well to his instrument, and the forest was filled with charming music for a long while.
Not long after, the sun had begun to set, and the slivers of sky revealed by gaps in the leaves glowed with deep oranges and reds, and the few clouds visible had come alive with fiery light. Atalan had stopped singing a little while ago, but Conduit continued to pick out light, peaceful notes. "Well," Alan begun quietly, "I suppose we should try to make it back before morning. It would not do to be missed."
"You're right. Well, I prefer twilit walks, anyway. The air is cooler, and the snakes are more active." Conduit finished with a sly grin, and was met with a friendly but exasperated shove as they began to move back down the trail. A cool, refreshing breeze had picked up, and it ruffled Con's short mane of hair. He stretched, grateful for the breath of life in the stagnancy of the woods.
As Conduit predicted, and as Atalan feared, there were many nocturnal wood-animals, and the latter was less than enthusiastic with the mysterious rustling that plagued them as they walked. A few snakes, a few more rodents, and even an owl, at one point. Con took a moment to look from his periphery at Atalan, who was worriedly flicking his fan-like tail, and his scaled hands were constantly wringing themselves together. His eyes were darting many times faster than their walking pace. It brought a chuckle from Conduit's pursed lips, and another amiably annoyed assault to his shoulder from behind.
Before they could have predicted, they passed through a clearing of trees, giving them a wonderful view of the landscape for miles around. The moon's light cast a picturesque glow on the peaceful town below them, nestled between two hills, with smokestacks rising from countless ant-sized chimneys. It was very early in the morning, and the sun was still a few hours from making its appearance, but the scent of bread wafted up to them all the same from the number of bakeries beginning their mornings. "Hey, Con," Atalan began, his nostrils flaring, "Would you have time to join me at one of those lovely little places?" He had taken the words right from Conduit's tongue. All he could manage was another chuckle. "It's all food, with you! I swear, if we had nothing else, you wouldn't hesitate to eat me." They shared a laugh, and continued their walk to the town.



Well, I hope that wasn't a waste of time, reading! :D That's one of the first, legitimate stories that I've written in a hell of a long time. It's bad, I know, but I enjoy posting things.